


Healer to Seal Master

by Fiobri



Series: Eternal Cycle [21]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Uchiha Obito, Reincarnation, Self-Insert, Team Bonding, Team as Family, oc-insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24997195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiobri/pseuds/Fiobri
Summary: She was too young to lose her parents, too young to know how to heal crushed limbs, and way too young to be an Uzumaki Seal Master. That was what happened nevertheless.Well, she did have a few lifetimes worth of knowledge already but no one needed to know that.Cycle 36. Can Cycle, Naruto.
Relationships: Uchiha Obito & Original Character(s), Uzumaki Kushina & Original Character(s)
Series: Eternal Cycle [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1314257
Comments: 8
Kudos: 122
Collections: A Collection of Beloved Inserts





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo another Cycle. This one is one of the first ones I wrote. No, it's not complete but I'm publishing it anyway. 
> 
> New readers: This series is about a person getting reborn in different worlds again and again. These lifetimes are called Cycles. For more info read either the 1st or the 20th work in this series. The 1st is another Naruto Cycle and the 20th is an info book. 
> 
> Older ones: It's about time I got back to this thing. It's old so please don't judge if some things are weirdly written or don't make too much sense. I'm glad you're still sticking with me! 
> 
> Everyone: If you want to read this CHRONOLOGICALLY then the published Cycles are in that order in chapter 3 of the 20th work of this series!

She was two again. Or that's what she started to notice around two years old. Her dad had long blood red hair, and would stare at a deja vu inducing headband at night. The language everyone spoke was familiar and made her want to trace symbols on the ground with her fingers, symbols that meant something, that were words. Ones she'd been taught here, again. It always felt like she’d done them before and caught up quickly with all of them. There was also the strange calligraphy her Tou-chan always did, ones with complex lines and energy she felt she should know of. 

Mom taught her how to make fabrics. How to sew them, feel them, stitch, tell how they're good. And praised her for being a genius. She taught her how to throw them in beautiful arcs, and she wondered why she had to learn and why it felt like she should know the answer. 

She was two and a half when things were finally starting to make sense. 

Chakra. There was chakra all around. She knew she'd felt it before. In another lifetime. A long one. She'd been Sakura. Haruno Sakura. Rina was the proof of that. But she was asleep, like always. She'd have to wait for her, get strong in the meantime. 

This was a world you needed strength in. Otherwise nothing changed. 

Her dad’s name was Yoshio.  _ Uzumaki _ Yoshio. Seals. Fuinjutsu. She  _ craved _ to know more about it. To become a  _ Master _ this time. Medical ninjutsu and the sealing applied to that were a piece of cake to dig from her mind but the other million possibilities… she would have given almost  _ anything _ to have known about those in her other lives. They would have been so  _ useful _ . Even if they hadn't worked. She was resolved to become a Master this time. So she asked for lessons, was given lessons and got praised for getting them quickly. She was called a prodigy by her parents. The child herself knew she wasn't but kind of was. And she had heard it before. From her many previous families. 

Didn't mean her emotions weren't that of a child. She was  _ happy _ getting praised. Ridiculously so. Which was why she worked around her short attention span and made better and more complex seals by the time she was three. Her fabric work got better too, to her mom's, Tsukiko’s, delight. 

Their little family lived at the outskirts of a farm village. She found out when she went there for the first time with her mother to sell the clothes and fabrics Tsukiko had made 'with Ayume-chan’s help’ as she proclaimed to everyone around her, proud of her daughter's accomplishments. Not that she wasn't happy to be praised. 

Her dad worked too. 

“Kaa-chan, where Tou-chan?”, Ayu had asked one day when she wanted help with a seal she couldn't figure out and needed more ideas. 

“Your Tou-san is working with the villagers on the fields. He’ll be back by evening, Ayu-chan”, her mom told her, “How about you and me gather some herbs to go with dinner? Hm?” 

And Ayume laughed as her mother tickled her before agreeing. Her life was easy then, much easier than the life before that one. But in this world she knew it wouldn't last that long, not if Naruto wasn't Hokage yet. 

If he was even  _ born _ yet. Hopefully he was already an adult. She would want his lonely childhood to be but a memory if he was here somewhere, that brother of hers. Or not born yet so she could save his parents. 

Ayu learned to use chakra again when she was something over three. She learned her Tou-san had wanted to wait until she was five but she progressed so fast he could teach her then. She got it right almost on third try. But… it felt much different than before. Much harder to control precisely. Like it was… bigger, more potent. 

No wonder Naruto had trouble with control. 

Uzumaki chakra was almost wild. It was as annoyingly hard to control as her butterfingers. It was amazing she could sit still with all this energy inside her. At least now she knew why it was her body seemed to be in motion all the time. Her  _ thoughts _ too were almost jumping all over the place when she didn’t want them to. Perhaps that was why it was so unusually easy to grasp the complexity of reality breaking seals. 

“Ne, ne, Tou-san? Tell me 'bout Uzushio!”, she pleaded like she always did since finding out where he was from. 

As always, Yoshio would laugh and show her his old forehead protector with the spiral announcing the Whirlpool Country shinobi. Then he would tell her of white beaches and red sunsets over the ocean, the sky painted in the color of the clan’s hair and buildings bathing in orange light. He told of missions on the borders, of seals written in the groundings of the village that were built upon generation to generation. Libraries full of scrolls and knowledge that had gone up in flames as Uzushio was brought to ruin. 

How he had escaped the burning village of his childhood, his life, with the orders of the Uzukage. How the teleportation seal was the last he saw of the village he loved. Of how his last mission consisted of continuing Uzushio’s legacy and how she was the best daughter he could hope for. He told her she was the one who he would teach the Whirlpool Village’s techniques and secrets. Who would inherit the scrolls he was ordered to keep safe just for that purpose. Teaching his children the art of Uzushio’s sealing. 

Ayume wanted to be what her Tou-san told her she was, what she could be. It fit with her plans to be seal master quite nicely. And she wanted to make him proud. 

Tsukiko Kaa-chan taught her the arts of manipulating fabrics with chakra. The woman could make them tough as armor, weave them together, stiffen them, make them light or heavy by infusing them with her chakra. And she taught Ayu all of it. It was a bloodline, one which had chakra that could easily slip into structures and coach them into thinking it’s a part of its molecules, convincing the material it can do what she wanted it to do. Other shinobi  _ could _ learn it… though it would be much harder to do so for them. Her Fukunui clan had been the ones who worked fighting with fabrics into an art form. 

There had been three main sister clans with her bloodline, or so Kaa-chan told her when she asked. The Megami of Paper, the Kinzu of Metal and the Fukunui of Cloth. Now only some were left, scattered into the winds. The three had been put down during the Second Shinobi War. 

That was also how she found out the Third Shinobi War was ongoing. 

What she hadn’t known, was that their little farm village was a crucial place of supplies for the Land of Fire. And when she found out it was too late to do anything. The Iwa ninja attacked at night some months after she turned four. She also hadn’t known that Yoshio and Tsukiko were living there as a service to the villagers. It was that evening her Tou-san saw them coming and put up the countermeasures. A barrier strong enough to ward at least three SS-rank jutsu at the same time. 

It wasn’t enough. 

The village was destroyed, or so she heard later when she was handed her parents’ body scrolls. She had gotten away via the teleportation circle her father activated with what was probably the last of his chakra after activating a seal he had probably put on her when she was a baby. 

Ayume was thrown through time and space with the last glimpse of the village burning just like Uzushio. 

xXXx

Pitch black. 

That’s what she saw through her tears as she sobbed quietly. Her Tou-chan’s seal had taken her to somewhere entirely dark. It was a stark contrast against the flames their house had been surrounded in and she clutched the bag that had been put in her arms just before the seal was activated. 

_ ‘It will take you away from here. To Konoha, Little Dreamer. Konoha is safe’ _ , he told her, blood pouring from his mouth as she shouted in protest. 

But she was lying somewhere cold and dark and  _ everywhere hurt _ and nowhere looked safe and she was panicking! Four-year-olds weren’t supposed to go through this, no matter their mental age. She knew from experience it was hard to forget traumas of childhood. It didn’t  _ matter _ how many times she went through them they were  _ always _ awful and scary and  _ oh please no! Not again, not  _ now _! _ Where was Kaa-chan? Tou-san? 

_ Someone help me…! _

She wanted to go  _ home _ !

A hiccup left her mouth as she sobbed again, the sound echoing in the silence. 

“H- Hey”, a young, raspy and weak voice called out with barely a whisper. 

She abruptly stopped making any noise, staying stock still and eyes wide with fear. That didn’t stop her harsh breathing but she tried to calm it. Someone was with her in this… cave. It  _ must _ be a cave. They might be the enemy. Someone wishing her harm. 

She didn’t dare make a sound. 

“You- “, there was a wet and weak cough, “o-  _ urgh _ … _!! _ -kay…?”, the voice faded away a little. 

Ayu’s tears stopped for a moment to hear better. Whoever it was… was hurt.  _ Badly _ . Wet coughing usually meant death was close… in the ‘normal’ world, but this wasn’t exactly normal. Scrambling to sit up through the pain, she hit her head to the cave’s ceiling in the process, she thought back on every medical technique she  _ once _ knew for this before noting her chakra control was very not suited to those. She still crawled towards the voice because there had to be  _ something _ she could do…! 

Her hand hit something warm as she reached out to drag herself further in the small, small cave. She pushed her shaky hand against it to feel an arm. It was the hurt person. Someone who would put others before himself even though he was  _ dying _ . 

Ugh! She needed  _ light _ ! 

Sneaking chakra into her palm until it emitted a soft and weak glow she tried to see the damage, at the same time folding her legs under herself as she unconsciously noted there was room to sit. Her breath hitched. The young boy, maybe thirteen, had half of his body  _ crushed _ under a rock. His eye was closed, unseeing and probably empty. She didn’t want to check. He shouldn’t be  _ alive _ anymore! 

“Wh… o?”, he asked weakly, one lung definitely gone. 

Ayume shook her head sharply and tried to figure out ways to  _ move the giant rock _ in the way. There were ways, she knew. Ninjutsu would be best. Earth, maybe. She hadn’t learned that here but Sakura had in another lifetime a long time ago. 

_ What were the handseals!? _

She tried to remember, hands moving even before she completed the thought process. 

“Doton: Earth-Style Wall!”, her young voice called out into the small, small space that somehow still echoed, her chakra surging and moving into a wall under the giant rock. 

The whole place  _ shook _ . That  _ might _ not have been the best idea if the cave  _ collapsed _ on them, but she couldn’t stop what she started now. She only raised the wall a little, enough to give her access to the boy’s other side that… she made her chakra glow in her hands again and felt sick. It was totally and utterly  _ crushed _ . Flattened like a pancake. Her mind raced through medical techniques from different worlds and in fuinjutsu. 

Fuinjutsu took too much time. 

Nothing else would work here, except… the only thing she learnt she had here. 

She forced him to bite her forearm. 

“Eat my chakra!”, she commanded. 

Not in a state to protest he weakly sucked the potent chakra and she could  _ feel _ his surprise when it made his breathing, being,  _ everything _ easier. She, though, felt her chakra  _ drain _ and she staggered. The earth wall had taken maybe a sixth of her big-for-a-child (big for an  _ Uzumaki _ child) reserves. Giving others Uzumaki chakra for healing took  _ much _ more. She had stopped the glow and could only guess at how much he was healed but she knew it was  _ not enough _ . Biting her lip she took her arm away, reserves only maybe an eighth of what she had had. Barely. But he wasn’t in a danger of dying just yet now. 

“What…?”, his voice too was stronger, if only a little. 

“No speak”, she snapped, slipping into toddler talk under pressure as her small hands felt for his other side, trying to understand what needed fixing. She growled with her childish voice at not seeing a thing, “Light, pwease?” 

He complied, lifting his good arm and infusing it with his chakra. It was stronger than her meager glows had managed to be and good for this situation. She nodded in thanks, mind flashing through medical fuinjutsu before settling on one that could fix his hand and leg to a semblance of a working order, crutch for life though, and another that could make his internal organs  _ stop bleeding _ . Hmm, the organ thing might be better done first. She didn’t know if she had enough chakra for even that. 

Wait, what was she thinking!? Her patient had almost  _ full _ reserves that were  _ bigger than hers from the start! _

The medical seals were just about to get bigger and  _ better _ . And she  _ could _ probably still draw on natural chakra…? She bit her thumb to draw blood and opened his jacket before starting on his stomach, biting out a quick order of 'no move’. She did quick and precise strokes, or as precise as her toddler hands could. The seal was done in an hour, maybe two or three, or even eight. It was hard to track time. She eyed her work critically before looking to the boy’s face, opening her mouth to tell him- 

Her heart skipped a beat. He had a sharingan. 

For a second she saw Sasuke, her other brother she never forgot. 

But that made her think about the thing she had been avoiding unconsciously. 

This boy was Obito Uchiha. 

She shoved that thought and all its implications away faster than she could blink and focused on healing the  _ twelve or thirteen-year-old boy _ . She could do this. 

“Seal s’posed ta heal you. Use you chakra”, she told him seriously with a determined look in her eyes. 

She would still need to focus his input and channel it a little with her own chakra, but it would last for this. It  _ had _ to. The boy swallowed before doing as told and pushing his chakra into the seal. It started glowing and Ayu put her hands over it, manipulating the seal to fix his internal organs first and then into stitching together nerves and joints and fingers before moving to the leg and muscles. Her own reserves were starting to dwindle and she split her attention to drawing and purifying natural chakra to power and direct the seal. 

Really, this seal had been a stroke of  _ genius _ after comparing notes from Orochimaru’s experiments and medical seals. Tsunade had been an amazing help. As well as Jiraiya with the Sage techniques. And her sweet darling brother, Naruto, the little fuinjutsu master. On a path  _ she _ had set him on. 

She missed them all. 

Obito would be left without bigger scars, which was no small miracle for this whole thing. There would forever be white lines on his skin, though. And his mobility on the right side wouldn’t be at it’s best unless she could get her hands on someone with beyond phenomenal chakra control to rework his chakra network and nerves. Tsunade would do. As would the old Sakura Haruno she had once been. 

_ Ayume _ couldn’t do more. 

She breathed a sigh of relief when the seal disappeared, its purpose done. Then she swayed as she realized her chakra reserves were  _ alarmingly _ low. 

_ Took… more than I thought _ , she mused as gravity took hold of her small body. 

She fell gracelessly beside him, dazed and exhausted but feeling accomplished. She would black out soon enough, that she knew. Healing someone was certainly a good way to distract oneself from grief and loss. 

“Oi!”, oh, his voice was back, if a bit raspy, “What's wrong?”, and he was alarmed. 

She struggled to stay awake to answer. Her dark blue eyes were glazed as she searched for his face in the dim light his chakra provided. 

“Rest… you bo… dy”, she whispered as her eyes closed, strength slipping away, “Lemme… sleep” 

_ I wonder how long the oxygen will last in here…  _

And she was swallowed up by darkness, her last thought fading quickly. 

xXXx

Obito’s mind could barely focus when he heard muffled crying in what he supposed was his grave. He wanted to comfort the child that was too young to be here… here… where? There was crying. A child was crying and he… wanted to help… hard to focus. The child. He couldn't hear his voice but his lips moved slightly, breath passing painfully through his chest. He didn't hear anything and everything was… fuzzy. Had he heard something just now? He couldn't remember… 

A touch on his arm. A feeling. He felt someone touch his arm. His lips moved again, forming the word who. 

There was no reply but… someone used a jutsu. He felt nothing but shaking. The ground was shaking. Or was it him? No it was the ground. Something was shaking. Didn't he think that already? He didn't know. His thoughts were shaky. 

Light? There was a faint light. Someone gasped. Something in his mouth. He wanted to spit it out. But he couldn't muster the energy to. 

“Eat my chakra!”, a childish voice ordered. 

A child? What was a child doing here? He sucked the chakra anyway, following the order instinctively. 

Wait what. 

He felt… better. Easier. Like energy  _ flowing _ through him, fixing him and the more he got the easier it was to  _ breathe _ . He took the chakra in and in and it was taken away far too soon. He wanted to reach for it but he was so weak and tired and now he could feel a full ache on his right side. This was impossible. 

“What…?”, he asked weakly, not knowing how to end the question but noting his mind was clearer. 

He was ordered not to speak in the same childish manner before getting asked for light. Lifting his hand and shining the collapsed cave with his chakra he finally saw who was healing him. 

It was a child. A toddler. What. He would've been more surprised but now he was just too tired to bother. 

She was doing something on his stomach. He didn't mind and wouldn't have been able to  _ do _ anything if he did. Her hair looked black. It was black and wavy and stopped on her shoulders. But the light was small and probably altered the color somewhat. It could also be a dark brown. Or dark whatever. He didn't really care right now because what was she  _ doing _ here!? And she could do  _ sealing! _ How? Why? It didn't make sense! 

Obito didn't know how long he stared at her working on his stomach but it felt like forever. He waited patiently as he felt his chakra draining a teeny tiny bit for keeping the light. Then she was ready. And turned to him, eyes sharp. They widened in surprise upon seeing his eye but she shoved it down and told him he basically just had to activate the seal. Fine by him. Pushing his chakra to it he could  _ feel _ himself get put together. And how much chakra the seal took. The little girl kept her hands above it and probably controlled it too. Then, bit by bit, he felt his nerves and  _ feeling _ return. There was no pain, surprisingly. Only the decrease of it. His arm got fixed, his leg, places he didn't even  _ know _ . And then it ended. The seal didn't take any more of his chakra. His reserves were  _ shot _ . Like he had a teacup’s worth of it left. Probably less. 

The girl swayed and fell bonelessly next to him. 

He cried out in alarm but couldn't bring his just healed body to move. He worried because if  _ his _ reserves were almost empty he couldn’t think what it’d be like for a  _ toddler _ . Her reply made him only  _ slightly _ less worried. 

Plus, now that he was thinking clearly, they wouldn't last here for long. Oxygen would be precious. 

So he had to get them out. But… he had no chakra for any jutsu. They had just enough space for a toddler to sit and him to lie down or get propped up on his elbows. Besides the cave could collapse with the use of force and even if they got out, Iwa-nin might be there when he was in no condition to fight. Scratch that, there was no way he could fight with an unconscious toddler anyway. 

_ Huh. Looking pretty bad. Though it could be worse. _

He flexed the fingers of his right hand and marveled at  _ how _ the child had fixed it when he was  _ sure _ his entire right side had been like potato mush. She was a  _ miracle _ . He didn't get how a kid like her had gotten into this mess but he  _ would _ find a way to get her out. 

That's a promise! 

But… he was so…  _ tired _ … 

xXXx

When Ayume woke up it was still pitch black. But it was warm. Someone had wrapped themselves around her and… was snoring slightly. She giggled quietly, remembering she had healed Obito last night. 

Last night… 

Her smile faded, replaced by a gripping loneliness and sorrow. Her parents weren't there. They might not be  _ anywhere _ . Dead bodies left behind by Iwa-nin. She felt her eyes sting with tears as they fell and her body shook slightly. A sniffle escaped her and her body looked for comfort, burying her face into the boy’s jacket and fisting her hands into it. 

That seemed to rouse him as the slight snoring stopped and he started rubbing her slim back with the previously hurt hand. 

He patiently waited for her to stop crying before talking. 

“What's wrong?”, he whispered for the second time, only this time she could answer. 

Should she? She  _ wanted _ to. Did she need another reason? 

“I- “, her throat clogged up so she settled on, “I’m all alone” 

It came out strangled. Like a fact she desperately wanted to be wrong. The soothing circles didn't stop. 

“Shh… I’m here. It’ll be okay…”, Obito soothed. 

She huffed out a breathless laugh, “I know… But Kaa-chan and Tou-san ain't okay”, she whispered, mannerisms unusually grown up for a child, “No family no more…” 

The hand stiffened in surprise and sadness. Obito was very empathic. She wanted him to stay this way. It was thousand times better than the villain version she'd fought as Sakura. But now she could only focus on the loss she had been through. She needed a distraction. Her companion was happy to offer one. 

“Ne… What's your name?”, the boy asked after a while. 

She wondered, what name to use. She had two to choose from. Fukunui or Uzumaki. Her parents hadn't specified. But… 

“I’m Uzumaki Ayume”, she introduced herself with a solemn and sad air, “Who’re you, nii-san?” 

He had frozen once more, remembering a certain redhead before snapping out of it, “Uchiha Obito, Ayume-chan. How… old are you?”, he asked, trying to act naturally and  _ not _ be too interested. 

“Four”, Ayu said into his chest. 

His already stiff arms tightened slightly, protective. She could feel determination running through him in waves. 

“Don't worry. I’m gonna get us out of here” 

She believed him. 

Wait, they were still in the cave? Why didn't Zetsu come and get him or them? 

And her bag was still in that tunnel. 

Squirming for freedom she was given easily she started crawling where she  _ thought _ she'd been teleported. The bag would be there. It  _ had _ to be there. And it was. She sighed in relief and pulled it against herself. Then she registered a slight breeze. And how they hadn't died from lack of oxygen. 

“Obito-nii!”, she called quietly, “There's a tunnel!” 

There was a sound of fabric as someone shifted around, “Eh? Really?” 

“Un!”, she confirmed non-verbally. 

As it turns out he didn't fit inside the path she had found so they had to get… creative. As in Obito used his over half filled chakra reserves to use the Hidden Mole technique and dig through, Ayu on his back and clinging like a monkey. If their chakra reserves were  _ that _ full they must have been It felt odd to know the kind boy making sure she wasn’t hurt could become the villain of the story. Though she never really thought of stories as stories anymore. Not when she could live them through in her the next life. 

Obito could be stealthy, it seemed. 

He was fast, rushing through trees and making sure no leave was rustled or strands of hair left behind. No footprints either. They made no noise as they passed. It was basic but pretty good. He had yet to learn how to block his scent and warmth though. And his chakra could still be sensed by experienced sensors, like herself. Not that Ayu had had reason to try concealment this time. It would be… interesting to see how Uzumaki-slash-Fukunui chakra worked with those ANBU techniques. 

Speaking of, she should try something now. Her chakra reserves were almost full after chakra exhaustion induced sleep (neither knew how much time had passed) and would probably be a beacon to any sensor around her. 

...Obito hadn't even asked if she could or not. 

Huffing out of her nose she considered her chakra and started tugging it inside herself, into a tight ball in her chest. She should make it fast to make it feel like someone died there. It wasn't uncommon in war. 

_ Huh? It's easier than I thought…  _

Sakura had had what could be called perfect chakra control even as a kid. It seemed she had a little of that left if she could get her chakra curl into a ball that small. Obito’s shoulders stiffened under her hold before relaxing. Good. He noticed what she did. And didn't think she just… disappeared. 

They traveled for what felt hours like that. 

It was awful. Because hours to travel meant hours to  _ think _ and she knew she had lost her parents before… many times… but it just- the loving parents that  _ cared _ she- it seemed she'd never get over them in just one lifetime. She went through the 'what if’ phase on that journey, coming to terms with the fact her parents weren't alive. But there still was that one spark of hope, the spark that said she didn't believe until she saw. It was a slim, slim chance. 

She was used to the fact that hope usually died last. 

Obito stopped. He leaned against a tree with harsh breaths. It had been maybe three hours of slower than normal travel phase. He was clearly still healing. Getting your right side crushed was no little thing and recovery took  _ time _ . Even with maybe the world's best medic by your side. His right side might never be up to full strength after this, though. 

“Obito-nii?”, she asked quietly. 

She could feel him shaking with exertion and tiredness. 

“Ha, hahahaha! I’m fine! Can still- continue…”, he laughed and straightened before falling against the tree again, making Ayu make a startled sound as she slipped a little. 

The little girl leaned over the boy's shoulder to see his face was sweaty and his both eyes were closed. It had taken him a little to tree jump with one eye but he managed. And they’d made it pretty far away from the border. Ayume made a decision. 

“We’re makin’ camp!”, she declared, jumping down next to him a bit unsteadily. She wasn't used to it in this body, not at all. She would have to learn tree and water walking soon… Chakra manipulation came pretty easy, chakra  _ control _ though… 

It was like trying to draw an amazingly detailed drawing with a two-year-old’s motor skills and attention span. She also had playfully wild chakra. It was like a limb that didn’t know how to stay still. 

Obito was too tired to make anything but small protests. Ayu eyed the ground and looked for a good place to sleep before nimbly flinging herself to the lower branches and falling down. Unfortunately her landing went a bit wrong and her left ankle rolled painfully. She winced. Luckily it wasn't broken or really injured. Just… ouch. 

She walked to the place she saw with a barely noticeable limp and started thinking strategies to surviving wild animals and enemy ninjas. She hefted the big and pretty heavy bag her Tou-san had given her and sat down on the grass to explore its contents. What she found made her sweatdrop. It was fireproof inside out. And full of scrolls. There were maybe seven hidden pockets and the scrolls held more scrolls, fabrics, clothes and food supplies. Also weapons. Can't forget those. Basically anything a ninja would need and much more. It was like she'd been left with her whole house, because some of those  _ definitely _ contained furniture, pillows and blankets. That wasn't even counting the secret pockets. 

She felt her eyes tear up as her chest swelled and breath hitched.

Her parents had left her a  _ treasure trove _ of both her clans. 

Obito had managed to catch his breath for long enough and he stumbled down beside her, about to make a smug remark with a grin. And saw the droplets sliding down her cheeks. His face fell a bit and his eyes moved to the open bag she held on her lap. Scrolls. Lots and  _ lots _ of scrolls. 

“Eeh? Did they give you a whole library or something!? The thing’s  _ full _ of books!”, he sounded scandalized. 

Then his brain caught up with his mouth and he slapped both hands over his lips while looking at her in frantic worry. Ayu felt dumbfounded. Then laughter bubbled up from her chest and she started giggling, tears almost forgotten. It was a bit hysterical, but it meant she was healing from the emotional trauma. She couldn't remember anyone able to make it that fast, except maybe Naruto. 

“They- They're  _ sealing scrolls _ , Obito-nii!”, she laughed happily. 

The Uchiha blinked in surprise, mouth forming a little 'oh’ before he crossed his arms haughtily, “I knew that!” 

It sent Ayu in another fit of laughter she tried to muffle, shoulders shaking as she doubled over the bag. Unseen to her, Obito glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smirked. He crept closer and attacked her with tickles. That escalated into a tickle war and childish games until Obito noticed it was getting dark. Both sheepishly realized they had forgotten to prepare camp and got to work, the boy setting up traps and the girl a basic fuinjutsu alarm system. It was something she'd learned from Tou-san. 

A light snack later they went to sleep with the knowledge that if someone got a few hundred meters near them they would know. Ayu easily buried herself into Obito’s side who stiffened in surprise before wrapping himself around her. Just like last night. She felt safe and warm. 

Tomorrow she would check his lungs and muscles and then they would head straight for Konoha. The village she hadn't seen in  _ ages _ . Her once home. It might take a few days with how weak Obito's right side was but they would manage. 

They would get home safely, no matter what. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions and new friends and families.

She was right. It took a few days. Five to be exact. The normally two day journey had to be done with short spurts and long breaks. Obito's body wouldn't last otherwise. It served as a good rehabilitation, though. 

The two of them bonded over the journey. Obito's stories told of his teammates, and of Kushina who would be so  _ mad _ at him when they got back, he talked about his clan and his grandmother. And don't forget the part of becoming Hokage. Ayu listened and told about her parents, which left her melancholy and sad, but helped her get through the loss. She told him of fuinjutsu lessons, inserted her supposed medical background and weaved stories of Uzushio and her Kaa-chan's clan. They explored the bag of treasures, looked at the nature's beauty Ayu helped Obito see for the first time, played little games and traveled. Every night they did the same routine as on the first, Ayu curling up in his arms and both sharing body heat. 

It was almost midday on the fifth morning when they finally saw Konoha’s gates. Ayu revved up her acting skills. She had to make it look like it was her first time there, not like she just got back home. 

She also worried. 

What if they didn't let her in? To them she could be a disguised enemy ninja or informant. 

She wanted to stay with Obito-nii. 

They got closer and closer. Then her ride’s speed dropped down to a jog and he stopped in front of the ninja keeping lookout. The boy took out his papers with a grin and handed them over, enjoying the shock that flickered on his face. 

“Uchiha Obito reporting back!”, he said happily. 

The smile slipped a little when the guard’s eyes narrowed. It was as if he was being evaluated. 

“The codes, please” 

Almost sighing the spiky haired boy recited them and was given the all clear. Ayu though, wasn't. 

“Come on! She's only  _ four! _ Ayu-chan’s been through a lot so be nice and let us in!”, he protested. 

“We can't do that! It's war time and- “ 

Obito cut him off, “She's Kushina’s relative!” 

Ayume watched in fascination as the guard’s face  _ whitened _ . Her clanmate had a reputation, it seemed. Even these guys feared her wrath. 

“R- Right. Go ahead. Straight to the Hokage’s office”, his voice seemed a bit strangled. 

Somehow, Obito's beaming grin was even more off putting and got them turning a bit  _ green _ , “Thanks! Come, Ayu-chan!” 

She trotted after him, taking his hand and watching around with awed eyes. It was the same as she remembered, yet different. Many buildings she saw didn't match what she knew and a lot of them were much newer than she was used to. There was a flower shop the Yamanaka owned, only the window didn't have the same text and the plants were more the poisonous type for weapons than flowers of beauty or relaxing teas. Obito steered her through the streets and towards the familiar Hokage tower, all the while talking animatedly about the things they could see around them. She listened with half an ear, watching the people working on daily business. The war’s influence could be seen in that too if you knew where to look. Expressions, women’s makeup, children's activities, weapon dealings, amount of shinobi and much more. Those were just what she saw at first glance. 

Then they were at the Hokage tower and Obito sauntered in like he owned the place, Ayu following closely behind. The cheery Uchiha went to the missions desk and told what mission he was returning from (the choking sound from the receptionist was suspiciously satisfying) and was directed into the Hokage’s office. No one spared her a second glance. Which usually meant people were watching. At least in the shinobi world. 

They walked up the stairs with good speed and waited to be called in, Obito distracting her by making funny faces at passing people’s backs. It was hard to keep a straight face. Finally the door opened and he stepped in with his usual smile as she followed closely behind. 

Something crashed to the floor and shattered. Probably a mug. 

“ _ Obito! _ ”, and the boy was lifted into the air and crushed against a redhead’s chest, “I thought- Minato said you had  _ died! _ I’m so glad-”, he was placed on the floor again and the beautiful hair floated as she gave him a stern look, “Don't think I forgot your promise, young man! No injuries! That means  _ no dying! _ ” 

Obito-nii held his hands up in a placating gesture, “Ku- Kushina, I  _ did _ keep my promise to come back without a scratch. These are  _ scars _ , not scratches! See?” 

That made Konoha’s Red Hot Habanero narrow her eyes with a thoughtful 'hmmm?’. Her expression clearly said that it was maybe  _ worse _ this way. After a long observation she seemed satisfied and leaned back, hands on her hips. 

“What happened? Your team was  _ devastated! _ Kakashi especially, -ttebane!”, she demanded, long red hair now falling down neatly. It was a much, much lighter shade than her own rusty dark red that could be mistaken for black at night. 

“I believe that's what he came here for”, an elderly voice cut in and Obito and Kushina instinctively straightened. It was the Third Hokage’s voice. One she hadn't heard in a long, long time. That tone was something new, though. It felt wise, hardened and like an experienced war general, “Obito-kun, report” 

The Uchiha nodded, reciting how his mission started and gave the basic rundown of how Rin had gotten kidnapped and up to how he got trapped under the giant boulder, forcing Kakashi and Rin to flee. 

“I was lying there for a while, maybe twenty minutes or more, and was starting to lose consciousness when I heard Ayu-chan crying”, he told them, “I don't remember well, but I maybe called out to comfort her and she crawled to me. Then she went into medic-mode and got me out from under the rock and started healing” 

He was interrupted by Hiruzen there, “Who is this 'Ayu-chan’?”, and his eyes flickered meaningfully to the child hiding halfway behind Obito. 

The boy looked slightly sheepish, “Oh, right”, he turned to Ayu and laid a hand on her shoulder to steer her forward, “This is Ayume. Uzumaki Ayume. She saved my life” 

He clearly enjoyed the shocked looks and gasps when the four or so people realized there was a  _ toddler _ in the room and an  _ Uzumaki _ at that. Several glances were thrown towards Kushina who was standing there, shell shocked. Ayu felt suddenly shy and inched closer to her Obito-nii so she could lean against his leg for support. He patted her head comfortingly. 

The Third puffed his pipe, “Uzumaki, you say…”, his stare was slightly unnerving until he smiled, “No need to be afraid, child. I am grateful you saved one of my shinobi. If you wouldn't mind telling us how you did it…?” 

Ayu looked up to the person he was closest to, and after getting a nod from Obito, lifted her long blue sleeve to reveal scarring of a bite mark on her forearm. Several people stared at it and she heard the slight hitch in Kushina’s breath. It was confirmation of her heritage as well as a part of her healing method. 

“Interesting…”, the old Hokage remarked, “You did well, Ayume-chan. Obito, you can continue” 

And so he did. He told them how she had crawled to him and got the boulder slightly up with the Earth-Wall before making him bite her wrist to eat her chakra after seeing the damage. Then he told of how she had drawn a seal on his stomach with her own blood that healed the rest of him when they fed it chakra and how they were trapped in the small space for the night. It was more confirmation of her Uzumaki status. As if red hair and the bite weren't enough proof. 

Though a girl so  _ young _ knowing  _ fuinjutsu _ to that degree was shocking. 

“Wait”, a woman, maybe jounin in rank, interrupted Obito’s story, “How did Ayume get in the cave?” 

The boy scrunched his face, “It was some seal stuff her Dad made. A teleportation thing. Like Minato-sensei’s Hiraishin but bigger and different” 

Several eyebrows rose at the description but the woman seemed satisfied and let him continue. From there it was easy to just say he’d gotten them ‘awesomely’ out of there and traveled back to Konoha in six days because his right side was still not completely in working order. He ended his report to the gates and fell silent. 

It was a lot of silence as the people in the room mulled over it. 

“Ayume-chan?”, Kushina’s soft voice broke it slightly as she crouched towards her height level, “If you don't mind me asking, who are your parents?” 

Ayu stared at her hopeful eyes and felt her throat clog up again. She looked down. 

“They're… dead. Tou-san saved me with the- the teleport seal”, she said, almost breaking down right there, “He name was Uzumaki Yoshio” 

Kushina's eyes widened, “Yoshio-kun…! You're Yoshio’s daughter…”, her brow furrowed in sadness before her face brightened up a little, “That means we're related! He was my cousin!” 

Ayume felt herself hope, her eyes reflecting the wonder as she stared at the maybe only clanmate she had left here, hand reaching out. 

“…Really…?”, her voice was so full of hope it was painful, “Obito-nii told me you ‘n Uzumaki…”, but was she  _ actually _ related that closely? 

She nodded and took her small hand into her bigger one as if it was a delicate treasure that could break at the slightest jostle. 

“Well, looks like that's one problem settled”, the Hokage cut in, “Kushina, are you willing to take her in for now?” 

The subtext of confirming her story and keeping an eye on her were there but not the most important part. Ayu looked to her newfound relative with hope and was happy to see that reflected back. 

“Of course, Hokage-sama”, she replied, standing and bowing to him slightly. 

“Good. You can go. Obito, stay behind. We have to change your status from deceased to on medical leave” 

“Eh!? But I’m plenty healed now! Ayu-chan did a good job” 

“Yes, she did. But you still need to be cleared by actual medics” 

“Aww man!” 

Ayu giggled at his bemoaning as she finally extracted herself and walked curiously to Kushina who placed a gentle hand on her head and chuckled. 

“Come over later so we can see about telling your team you’re  _ alive _ ”, she gave the Uchiha the order before pausing, “Tomorrow. Let them know tomorrow.  _ I’m _ going to keep you for the evening -ttebane!”, with Ayume, went unsaid. 

She then turned to her newly approved charge and smiled, “Let's go now, yeah?” 

Ayu gave one last look to Obito who grinned and waved at her to go before nodding with a shy smile and holding up her hands in the interdimensional child language of 'pick me up’. She would know. She'd  _ been _ to those places  _ as _ a child. Kushina 'aww’ed and did just that, bidding a respectful goodbye to the Hokage and one stern look to Obito who didn't notice in favor of smiling at Ayu. The little girl waved even as the door closed. 

She looked up at Kushina who was watching her with those same not quite believing eyes and smiled brightly. 

This was turning into the best day since her parents died. 

xXXx

The next day had Kushina, Ayu and Obito heading for Team Minato's usual training grounds. They chatted amongst themselves, Ayu being piggybacked by the raven haired Uchiha because she could and Obito wanted to. Also, she could tell he was nervous of meeting his team under his cheery demeanor. So she offered support. 

Kushina had nearly  _ smothered _ her and the boy with affection the day before, being checked over and cared for. She was a  _ fantastic _ cook. Ayu had said as much when she took the first mouthful. Of course, she'd had nightmares of the fire again but… they were getting less painful. Her newfound relative's presence helped too. 

“I'm gonna be a seal master when I grow up”, explained the four-year-old as they neared the training grounds, “To-”, her breath caught but she continued softly, “…Tou-san said I was a… a prodigy…” 

Kushina gently ruffled her hair with sad eyes, “You are, Ayu-chan. Your parents would be proud you're dealing with all this so well” 

They were the first to arrive it seemed and the trio settled on the grass to talk about seals. And ninjutsu because Obito was 'totally awesome’ in his own words. Then Minato arrived to the clearing and Kushina snapped her eyes to him. Otherwise no one would have noticed the blond. The to-be-Hokage stared at his thought-dead student with wide eyes, as if desperately hoping what he saw was real. Obito looked to him for a while with that same nervous air before grinning his signature grin. 

“Morning, Sensei!”, he waved a little, “Sorry I’m late” 

The Yellow Flash vanished to reappear by the Uchiha and enveloped him into a hug. Obito’s eyes widened but he hugged back after a moment. They stayed like that and both men (because ninja were basically considered adults in the eyes of law) felt the tension built up by the last few days flow out of their bodies and minds. Finally Minato released his student and took him by the shoulders, bright blue eyes shining with happiness and a soft smile on his face. 

“It’s good to have you back”, he said, “We missed you. Especially Kakashi” 

Obito’s grin came back, “He did?” 

Ayu cocked her head, the touching scene momentarily forgotten, “Obito-nii, it’s  _ does _ ” 

The Uchiha’s expression crumbled a little before he forced out a grin. 

“But I’m here to change that, aren’t I? Bakashi won’t miss me for long!”

And indeed he didn’t, even though he first thought him an imposter and then punched the boy’s arm for scaring him like that. Rin just hugged the life out of the boy who blushed beet red. Then they turned to Ayu who supposedly healed him. Kakashi’s visible eye clearly said ‘are you serious’ as Rin thanked her a thousand times and asked if she’d teach her. Ayu promised to make her some medical seals with puppy dog eyes thrown at Kushina for paper and ink. The  _ good _ kind of ink. 

Her caretaker just laughed and ruffled her dark red locks with a _ look _ at Minato that said they were  _ so _ going to teach this cute little kid or else. The blond grinned sheepishly and asked Ayu if she’d like to learn sealing. 

A little girl’s squeal of happiness rang in the air as she launched herself at the future Hokage, “Yes, yes,  _ yes! _ ”

Obito laughed at the three, “Minato-sensei, you got another student!” 

He blinked down at the red haired girl who peered at him with smiling eyes. 

“Huh. What do you know”, he smiled, “You really want to learn?” 

“Un!”, she nodded into his stomach, “‘s my dream!”

The blond smiled softly and patted her head, “Kushina and I can teach you when we have time” 

And that was that. She got herself two fuuinjutsu teachers and Obito came back alive. 

xXXx

Kushina loved her bag of fuuinjutsu scrolls that she'd quite liberally shared with her. There was apparently already a place for the relics in Konoha with her and her husband as the only ones able to access it. Plus her now. There were more Uzumaki things in there because it was the clan's treasury or library inside the village. She was never more glad for Uzushio and Konoha's late alliance. 

Now Danzo  _ definitely _ wouldn't get to them. 

xXXx

Team Minato got sent on a mission again. Rin almost got kidnapped. Again. They all got back alive and Ayu was so relieved. 

Rin hadn’t become a jinchuuriki. 

xXXx

The Third Shinobi World War came to an end in October. 

By that time Ayu had totally immersed herself in Konoha. She adopted Obito as her big brother and spent a lot of time in the Uchiha Compound… where she met Uchiha Itachi. A four-year-old prodigy. Sound familiar?  _ Four _ -year-old. Ayu and him made instant friends. 

Later she’d think about it and see how funny it was that in another life both Obito and Itachi were her enemies. 

This life she was determined to be their friend and  _ keep _ being their friend. She had met Itachi in a dango shop Obito took her to. Both of them had bought the same dango. And then stared at each other for a long while because they recognized an old soul in young features. A mentality that was same and different from theirs. Two pleading looks at their ‘guardians’, Itachi’s mother and Obito, and they sat in the same table to eat together. 

After licking her dango once Ayu stuck out her hand, “I’m Uzumaki Ayume. Four. I like sweets and seals” 

He took it with a polite nod, “Uchiha Itachi. Four. I like dango and peace” 

“I like peace too”, Ayu informed him with a smile. 

Itachi cocked his head to one side, “Seals are interesting”, he conceded, “Can you make them?” 

“Mostly medical seals. I’m learning others”, she told the other prodigy. 

“Hn”, he said in understanding, “I’m learning fire jutsu” 

They were quiet for a moment, eating dango. Obito and Mikoto, Itachi’s mother, watched the two in bemusement. Neither child had never had this much interest in other children. They shared a glance and made a mutual agreement of having playdates. Except they wouldn’t have to, not really. Not if the two acted upon their next sentences. 

“Do you want to spar sometime?”, both chorused, blinked at each other and broke into quiet chuckles and giggles. 

Thus the friendship and partnership between Itachi and Ayume started. 

xXXx

She dreamed. It was one of  _ those _ dreams. Her eyes opened slowly as she tried to understand. Prophetic visions in any life were usually an annoyance and cause of dread. But when you knew a future  _ anyway _ and had a brother to save… Well. It was nice to get confirmation that Madara had gotten his hands on another Uchiha to do Obito’s job. 

xXXx

Jiraiya got roped into teaching Ayu more fuuinjutsu. He was very baffled at the skill she made medical seals with, claiming that her knowledge was impossible. She told him she only copied existing seals from his Tou-san. He half believed. Which was good because she half lied. 

Then she took to sealing like a duck to water and Jiraiya wanted answers. 

“Seriously, where did you  _ find _ this kid!?”, he asked when Ayu once again tweaked a simple flashbang seal into giving a less powerful ‘bang’ with just a single look beforehand. 

Minato just laughed, “Ayu-chan found  _ us! _ ”

xXXx

Ayu turned five and held her friend’s little brother in her arms. Sasuke was so small and she couldn’t help but smile at the kid who would become one of the best shinobi to ever live. Her eyes found Itachi and she knew he had already fallen in love. 

“We’ll be the best siblings ever”, she told the Uchiha. 

He nodded mutely in agreement. Mikoto watched them both with a soft smile. 

xXXx

It was October 10th. 

Ayu had correctly predicted Naruto would be born then. How she knew before she was told, Minato and Kushina would never know. If Ayu didn’t tell them. Just like they never knew who left the Fourth Hokage anonymous tips about Orochimaru’s treachery. And Danzo’s cooperation with it. Which got Orochimaru killed (or then the sneak switched bodies) and Danzo’s influence weakened. 

But anyway, on October 10th the Kyuubi was released and forced to attack Konoha. 

A five-year-old little girl can’t do much with that, can she? But she  _ could _ at least try one thing. A crazy plan and its even crazier backup plan. Plus the plan for if the worst happens. Otherwise, she was  _ dead _ . 

The  _ moment _ the Fourth Hokage’s toad appeared she ran for the battlefield. She concealed her chakra the best she could as she leaped through the pressure of Kurama’s killing intent. It took a little under two minutes to get there. 

She got there  _ just _ as Kushina got Kurama inside a barrier and wrapped him in her chains. 

Her  _ family _ was in the middle of the barrier.  _ Just  _ over there in reach of the Kyuubi. Plans were forgotten for that instant. 

“Okaa-chan! Otou-san!”, she screamed as she ran to them. 

Both of them looked up with surprise. Either because she called them her mother and father or because she was  _ here _ on the battlefield with them. 

“A- Ayu-chan!”, Kushina looked to her and there was  _ blood _ running down from her mouth, “What are you doing here?” 

She wiped at her eyes and remembered what she’d brought, “You were fighting and  _ dying _ and don’t have enough chakra!”, she told them and got the scroll from her back, “So I  _ brought _ you chakra” 

Two sets of eyes widened in shock as she opened the scroll to reveal a storage seal that  _ stored chakra _ . Enormous amounts of it. Something Ayu had created with the help of Tsunade in her time as Sakura. Only, now she had tweaked it to store  _ more _ after some lessons from the village’s resident seal masters. The output had been modified to resemble a chakra transfusion too. 

She had gotten a little bit of chakra from everyone who agreed to give over the year. Which was surprisingly many when she told them it was to help the Fourth. Kakashi, Obito and Rin gave a bit of theirs every day. Itachi and herself had done the same. Many students did too, like Iruka. Gai had also agreed. 

“Ayu-chan…”, Minato breathed out, overwhelmed, “How?” 

She smiled that smile they had started associating with the words ‘it’s a secret’. 

“Put your hands there”, she told them both and they did. 

The girl then channeled her own chakra through the seal and activated it. Both Minato and Kushina got a sudden rush of all the chakra stored there through their bodies. The Uzumaki’s jutsu strengthened. The Fourth holding Naruto got a spark of hope back in his eyes. They smiled at the little girl they had come to consider as theirs. Kushina reached out and touched Ayu’s cheek who leaned into it. 

“Thank you, my little prodigy”, she told her softly, “Our cute little  _ daughter _ ” 

Minato too was smiling and ruffled her hair, “You’ve saved the day”, he looked to the Kyuubi and frowned, asking his wife, “What should we do?” 

Ayu looked up into a familiar and gigantic red eye. A fox that was her friend once in a lifetime. A fox that could be her friend again. Crazy plan step number two: a gamble. She took a deep breath and shouted. 

“ _ Kuramaaa! _ ”, her childish voice echoed in the barrier that blocked even sound, “What would  _ you _ want!” 

Everyone froze. Total and utter silence. Wind would’ve flown by if the barrier wasn’t in place. Only one word went through the Nine Tails’, Kushina’s and Minato’s minds. 

_...What? _

Deep chuckles shook the ground and evolved into full blown laughter. The couple was frozen at the sight of the Nine Tails, the humongous chakra monster that attacked their home,  _ laughing its head off _ . Only Ayu and Naruto were unfazed, the baby sniffling a little and Ayu having seen it before. 

“You are an amusing little brat”, he informed her, “Asking the opinion of a beast that attacked your village!” 

She frowned up at him, “But you just got out of a prison and then got mind controlled! Even if you attacked after it seems fair for you to have at least a  _ part _ in this conversation! After all, you’ve been wronged for many, many  _ years! _ ”, she emphasized by throwing her hands out in a wide circle. 

Somehow that got him to look her over a bit better. He was thinking, it seemed. Ayu continued. 

“And you didn’t answer” 

Kushina was staring at her with renewed eyes, as if she was some otherworldly being. Which she kind of was, now that she thought of it. Minato too stared, though he kept one eye on the enormous beast in case it-  _ he _ tried anything. 

Kurama was quiet for a long moment. 

“Your puny parents won’t give it to me. My freedom”, he stated as a fact. There was a bitter tone in his voice. 

Minato joined in for the first time, “I can’t argue with that. We have to seal you away so you won’t get used by that masked man or attack us again” 

Ayu was still watching Kurama. She remembered all the dead she had passed that day, all the crushed houses, and her heart clenched for both the village and the Kyuubi. Her eyes looked straight into the tailed beast’s. 

“...I know it won’t be of any comfort, but I think we can give you the choice of which of us is to be your jailer”, she said before looking to her just proclaimed father, “Can’t we?” 

He looked surprised for a second before smiling affectionately turning to the tailed beast, “We can”, he promised, “But you have to choose two. It’s physically impossible for me to seal you completely” 

Kurama growled in frustration. The girl was right. It didn’t make him feel better at all. He was  _ so angry _ . And he couldn’t do anything to stop it unless that  _ woman _ let the chains falter. But… He looked at the tiny slip of a girl that had called out to him by his true name, talked to him while defending his rights, and chuckled again. She was interesting. And it would be a cruel existence for both her and her little baby sibling if he got sealed inside them. A perfect revenge for their parents who denied him his freedom. Besides, they were young. He could… influence them. 

“ _ You _ , little girl, will be my host as will be your baby brother”, he proclaimed, “But be warned: I will fight  _ every step _ of the way”

Kushina looked up sharply, “ _ No! _ A jinchuuriki’s life is- !” 

Ayu cut her off by putting a hand on her cheek and stroking it gently. Her new mother’s eyes were wide and worried. 

“Okaa-chan. I know. I’m okay with it. We’re strong. Naruto will be  _ strong _ . I’ll protect him. We’ll be alright”

She looked torn but something in her voice must have reassured the woman. Minato only nodded to the beast and placed Naruto into Ayu’s arms as he stood. He summoned a sealing arrey, then another, and placed Naruto in one as Ayu climbed to the other. Hers had nine candles instead of eight like Naruto’s. 

Naruto's seal got the yang half. Her seal contained the yin half. It hurt. The sealing hurt and she gasped for breath after it was over. Kushina's chains drew back in place as she rushed over to them both and cardle them in her arms. She threw hers around her neck just as Minato's surrounded them all. Ayu smiled weakly. 

“Thank you”, she whispered, “for granting his request” 

And then she slipped into deep clutches of unconsciousness. 

xXXx

The word of Ayume getting into the battlefield stayed within the circle of ninja who had seen it happen behind the barrier. 

No one wanted the knowledge of their village having  _ two _ little jinchuuriki to spread around. It would put the children  _ and _ Konoha in danger. Well, that didn’t stop people from putting two and two together what with Naruto having  _ whisker birthmarks _ on his cheeks. Some were scared of him, and in extension his sister. Many civilians whispered behind their backs and some parents warned their children not to associate with them. 

Ayu ignored it and took Naruto to Itachi and Sasuke the  _ moment _ she could. Of course, Kushina came with because while she trusted her little girl to take care of herself she didn’t trust the villagers to be reasonable (Uzumaki recovered  _ scarily _ fast). 

She was a  _ vicious _ protector. Ayu would know. 

“Tachi!”, she called happily to the boy she hadn’t seen since Kurama attacked, “How’s Sasu-chan!” 

Itachi, the dear boy, gave her one of his rare smiles that almost had Kushina in a heap of ‘aww’s, “Yume. Sasuke is well”, his eyes dropped to the little being she held, “Naruto?” 

She grinned, cheeks hurting from how wide it was, and skipped in front of the Uchiha Clan heir, “Look, look!” 

He complied and looked in awe at the other baby he had sworn to be a brother for. Around the same time Ayu had sworn she would be his little sibling’s big sister. Naruto looked at him with wide blue eyes and gurgled happily, hand waving around without aim. Itachi was a goner for the yellow haired kid. Instantly. Just like Ayume was. 

Kushina, it seems, couldn’t take it anymore and just hugged them all. 

“You. Are.  _ So. Cuuuuute! _ ”, she squealed in their ears, making Ayu laugh and Itachi wrinkle his nose.  _ But _ he was smiling. 

xXXx

Ayu laughed as she clung to Obi-nii’s back again. They were playing tag with Team Seven. Kakashi and Obito had clearly gotten closer since their ordeal and Ayu stubbornly making friends with the silveret helped tremendously. Rin seemed glad. The girl was too. 

Naruto was a little charmer that all of them, especially the brunette, were enamored by. As was Sasuke with his quiet cuteness. Itachi and Ayume watched proudly from the sidelines. Though they would rather get cursed by the devil than hand over the rights to siblinghood. Nay, all others would just have to be uncles and aunts. Or cousins. 

Although… Kakashi  _ could _ maybe have the right of brotherhood on Naruto. Though he'd have to deal with a little sister Uzumaki too. 

xXXx

Minato’s work as Hokage was exhausting. He tried to come home to dinner every day but managed it just thrice a week. It  _ couldn’t _ all be the wrap-up of October 10th. It had been a year already. Besides, a rumor mill was speculating some wild claims and not-so-wild-but-untrue stuff about the Fourth. All of it uncomplimentary. Ayu suspected fishiness. 

Ayu’s suspected fishiness was somewhat confirmed later on with some investigation. Sneaky investigation since it was dangerous. 

Danzo.  _ Of course _ it was Danzo. She sighed and decided ‘Anonymous Tipper’ should make a reappearance. And it was time to turn the rumor wheel. Luckily she had had to do that before and knew some ways to do so. Hmm. Maybe Tachi would want to help? 

(Oh, and Naruto’s first word besides ‘Kaa’ had been ‘Nee’. Sister. Ayu had squealed) 

(Similarly Sasu-chan’s first was ‘Nii’ then ‘Kaa’ then ‘Nee’. Itachi was over the moon) 

xXXx

...Insert Naruto and Sasuke growing up, Sakura getting a ninja big sister who was slightly weirded out with teaching someone she had  _ been _ at one point, Minato Namikaze being an awesome Hokage who handled allies and enemies with respect and didn't let Danzo get away with things, and so on. 

Coincidentally, Fugaku Uchiha was friends with Minato because Kushina and Mikoto were besties. Thus it wasn't very easy to try wrangle him into any kind of coup d'etat. Ayume only got 'present flashes' and not 'future flashes' which was a relief. She didn't get them often. 

Also, she only got any vision dream thingies because of some seal she had at the nape of her neck. It was an Uzumaki thing Kushina explained to her when she got older. At least it was a rare Uzumaki thing in this life. Ayu told her about Uzumaki Karin and her mother, information which she told was from knowledge of the seal. Konoha reached out to Grass and got them settled in with them. 

Orochimaru was driven away and nearly crippled. Tsunade was convinced to come back sooner to teach at the hospital. Eventually she got therapy for her phobia too. Nohara Rin became her and Shizune's apprentice and a very proficient one at that. One reason for that was that she got notes from Ayu for healing seals and tips for other things. Ayu was already a decent seal master at age 10. She became one of the best in history at one point. 

Sasuke and Naruto started remembering their past lives with Ayume (or Nari and Rina) when they became adults. Yes, adults. After all the Rabbit Goddess things everyone was way better prepared for after Ayu and her family decided to start a Jinchuuriki Protection Act that informed everyone of the threat of Akatsuki. Which they mostly converted at point. 

Orochimaru didn't even get  _ near _ Sasuke with Itachi and Ayume around so the cursed seal didn't happen. Even if it  _ had _ happened, well. Anko was now seal free thanks to efforts of Ayume, the Namikaze-Uzumakis, Tsunade, Rin, and Sakura. 

Tsunade adopted Tenzo at some point. Kakashi still became the slightly unwilling sensei of a new Team Seven. Obito and Rin were on hand to help him, though, so he didn't mind so much. And this Kakashi, while more lenient than a teenage him, was a stickler for being on time just to get a one up on Obito. Minato was amused by the whole thing. 

Basically, things went well. Better than when Ayu was Sakura. 

xXXx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand that's the end of that. Hopefully you liked it and feel free to browse other stories in this series. There's only one other Naruto one at the moment but I'm thinking of adding another. This time a drabble series that progresses chronologically. At least mostly chronologically. 
> 
> Thanks for kudos and comments and for reading this thing!


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